North Korea is using public executions to intimidate its citizens and has imposed restrictions on long distance calls to block the spread of news about rising food shortages, the UN investigator on human rights in the reclusive nation said on Thursday.
Vitit Muntarbhorn told the UN General Assembly’s human rights committee that North Korea has also imposed more severe sanctions on people seeking to leave the country and those forcibly returned, and still detains “very large numbers” of people in camps.
On a more positive note, he told reporters the six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear program have created some space to discuss human rights concerns, which he welcomed.
He cited talks between North Korea and Japan on steps to normalize relations, an important component of which is solving the issue of the abduction of Japanese citizens. But he said an obstacle has recently cropped up and “as always we have to be very patient.”
He did not elaborate on what the obstacle was.
Muntarbhorn also noted North Korea’s recent invitation to the International Narcotics Control Board to visit the country, its decision to give humanitarian agencies greater access to areas affected by devastating floods in August last year and indications that authorities “have cooperated relatively well” with UN and other agencies distributing food and aid to the needy.
Nonetheless, he said, “the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea remains grave in a number of key areas.”
The North has frequently been accused of human rights abuses, including public executions and torture. It denies it engages in such practices and has bristled at outside criticism, calling it part of a US plot to topple its regime.
Muntarbhorn cited the “great disparity” in the access to food by the country’s elite and the rest of the population, non-existent political participation, rigid control over the media and those professing religious beliefs, and the persecution of dissidents.
On issues related to rights and freedoms, Muntarbhorn said there were reports of a crackdown on clandestine mobile phones.
“Some inhabitants watch clandestinely video and TV programs from the south, but in 2008 there were reports of crackdowns on South Korean videos,” he said. “From information received, the authorities have imposed restrictions on long distance telephone calls to block the spreading of news concerning the current food shortage.”
“Particularly disconcerting is the use of public executions to intimidate the public,” he said. “This is despite various law reforms in 2004 and 2005, which claim to have improved the criminal law framework and related sanctions.”
As for freedom of religion, Muntarbhorn said, persecution of people professing their faith is “pervasive, with families sent to prison for adhering to religious beliefs.”
His remarks to the committee and to reporters coincided with a warning from the head of the UN food agency in North Korea that millions face a food crisis. Jean-Pierre de Margerie, the World Food Program’s (WFP) country director, said some areas in the northeast are facing “a humanitarian emergency” and about 2.7 million people on the west coast will also run out of food this month.
Muntarbhorn said there is a “very, very serious problem this year with food,” and WFP is assisting some 6.5 million people.
“The immediate food needs are closely related to the need for fertilizers and fuel,” he said. “I’m all for a concrete development process that ensures, that nurtures, food security.”
Muntarbhorn, a Thai specialist in human rights law, said North Korean authorities have not allowed him to visit the country since he was appointed in 2004.
In the short-term, he urged North Korea to provide access to food and other necessities for all people, end the punishment of asylum seekers, terminate public executions and resolve the issue of foreign abductions.
In the longer term, Muntarbhorn called on the North to promote more equitable development, overcome disparities in access to food, modernize the legal and prison systems and abide by the rule of law, and build an independent judiciary.
Seven people sustained mostly minor injuries in an airplane fire in South Korea, authorities said yesterday, with local media suggesting the blaze might have been caused by a portable battery stored in the overhead bin. The Air Busan plane, an Airbus A321, was set to fly to Hong Kong from Gimhae International Airport in southeastern Busan, but caught fire in the rear section on Tuesday night, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said. A total of 169 passengers and seven flight attendants and staff were evacuated down inflatable slides, it said. Authorities initially reported three injuries, but revised the number
‘BALD-FACED LIE’: The woman is accused of administering non-prescribed drugs to the one-year-old and filmed the toddler’s distress to solicit donations online A social media influencer accused of filming the torture of her baby to gain money allegedly manufactured symptoms causing the toddler to have brain surgery, a magistrate has heard. The 34-year-old Queensland woman is charged with torturing an infant and posting videos of the little girl online to build a social media following and solicit donations. A decision on her bail application in a Brisbane court was yesterday postponed after the magistrate opted to take more time before making a decision in an effort “not to be overwhelmed” by the nature of allegations “so offensive to right-thinking people.” The Sunshine Coast woman —
BORDER SERVICES: With the US-funded International Rescue Committee telling clinics to shut by tomorrow, Burmese refugees face sudden discharge from Thai hospitals Healthcare centers serving tens of thousands of refugees on the Thai-Myanmar border have been ordered shut after US President Donald Trump froze most foreign aid last week, forcing Thai officials to transport the sickest patients to other facilities. The International Rescue Committee (IRC), which funds the clinics with US support, told the facilities to shut by tomorrow, a local official and two camp committee members said. The IRC did not respond to a request for comment. Trump last week paused development assistance from the US Agency for International Development for 90 days to assess compatibility with his “America First” policy. The freeze has thrown
PINEAPPLE DEBATE: While the owners of the pizzeria dislike pineapple on pizza, a survey last year showed that over 50% of Britons either love or like the topping A trendy pizzeria in the English city of Norwich has declared war on pineapples, charging an eye-watering £100 (US$124) for a Hawaiian in a bid to put customers off the disputed topping. Lupa Pizza recently added pizza topped with ham and pineapple to its account on a food delivery app, writing in the description: “Yeah, for £100 you can have it. Order the champagne too! Go on, you monster!” “[We] vehemently dislike pineapple on pizza,” Lupa co-owner Francis Wolf said. “We feel like it doesn’t suit pizza at all,” he said. The other co-owner, head chef Quin Jianoran, said they kept tinned pineapple